Buddy Earns His Place
by nature of things
Summary: I think that eventually Martin will come to accept Buddy for James Henry's sake if nothing else. Maybe this is how it will happen


Doc Martin belongs to Buffalo Pictures. I love the show and like to play with the characters. They are so real to me! We never had to use this method for our sons but one of my friends told me they had to put their little girl in warm water to lower her temperature. As far as Buddy's behavior, they use dogs to sniff out cancer and all sorts of things. Love Dodger's portrayal of Buddy

 **Buddy Earns his Place**

"Louisa, don't you think we've given that wretched dog a place in our home long enough? After all, we agreed to a trial period with strict parameters. One of the most important was that he not _smell_." Martin started the conversation with a wish disguised as a question.

Surprised, she answered, "Smell? I don't think he smells at all. And James Henry is very fond of him. Haven't you seen them play ball together?"

"Play ball together? Do you mean to say that you approve of James Henry touching the ball after that dog has had it in his mouth?" He asked completely appalled. "That's so unhygienic."

"It helps build up his resistance to germs. Children shouldn't live in a sterile environment. It's not healthy for them. You know that, Mar-tin! What brought all this on anyway?" Louisa asked.

"He insists on coming into the consulting room! It's not at all sanitary and also against the law." He grumbled

"Oh Martin! Just tell him to leave. He's very obedient." Louisa insisted.

"Humph! Flea bitten, pestilent beast! He does nothing that he's told to do." He grumbled.

"He likes being around you for some reason and you may dislike him but James's wishes matter, too. His first word was dog, remember? And now he's saying his name. Sounds sort of like Budgey. So cute! And they don't just play ball. They do all sorts of things together and he meets Mel every day when she brings James home. Watch them this evening after dinner and you'll see." Louisa promised.

Buddy ate his meal, went outside and when he came back in after finishing his business, Louisa told him to get in his basket and stay. "See that, Martin. He'll stay there until given permission to leave. Maybe if you were kinder, he would obey you, too. Hungry James? Daddy has dinner ready." After they finished their meal, James played in the lounge area while they cleaned the kitchen and, after being released by Louisa, Buddy eagerly joined him.

Louisa nodded toward them and said, "Buddy makes every step he makes and plays just like another child."

Martin muttered a disapproving, "I know that! A very _dirty_ child."

James was learning to run fairly well and told Buddy, "Mon, Budgey."

Giggling, he ran around the sofa with the little dog barking and chasing him. "See how careful Buddy is to not trip him? I think he was in a house with children and was well trained by his previous owners. We're very lucky to have him."

"Humph! He still smells." Martin insisted

"No, he doesn't but I'll bathe him tomorrow anyway." She promised.

The baby 'fell down' and rolled on the floor, still giggling, with Buddy running around barking at him. He grabbed his pull toy and, growling playfully, laid in front of James and sat up waving his front paws. James picked it up and said "Budgey play!" and they had a gentle tug of war with the baby screaming with laughter.

Martin made a face at the germs James was being exposed to but had to admit (silently!) that the baby and dog played well together.

Buddy followed Martin and James upstairs at bath time and stood with his paws on the rim of the tub, watching the baby splash water all over the lavatory and his father who had learned the hard way to remove his suit jacket and tie and roll up his shirt sleeves before bath time. He jumped at the droplets, trying to catch them in his mouth. James saw this and, grinning at his father as if asking him to join in, squealed loudly and splashed harder. "All right, James Henry, I think that's enough. You're getting me thoroughly wet."

He carried the wet, wiggling baby to his bedroom to dry and dress in warm pajamas with Buddy beside them, step for step. "Honestly, James. It's like trying to dress a fish to get you in your clothes! I think Mummy is ready to read a bedtime story so cooperate, please. She insists that you like the ones about a sentient fire engine however unlikely that is."

James answered by chomping his teeth and saying, "Mum, mum, mum."

Their little shadow followed them downstairs and jumped on the sofa to lay beside Louisa while she read a bedtime story and Martin gave an increasingly sleepy baby his nighttime bottle.

Their son safely in bed, the parents spent the rest of the evening cuddled together on the sofa doing paperwork and talking about their day. Buddy lay on the back as close to them as he dared.

"It's been a long day and I'm tired. You'll be in meetings and then classes for most of the day tomorrow so you should get an early night, too. Ready to go up?" He asked.

"Yes, let's go." And she pulled him to his feet and into an embrace. "A hot shower and then bed my love. Buddy should go out again so I'll lock up and be there in a minute."

Buddy waited till all was quiet and slipped up the stairs to sleep beside his charge, keeping him safe.

Much later, Martin was woken out of a deep sleep by something jumping on his chest and leapt up exclaiming, "Good god! What the hell is that animal doing?"

Buddy jumped off the bed and stood looking at the surprised and angry man. "You mangy mutt! Go away, you horrible animal!"

Buddy turned and ran to the door, stopping to look back at Martin.

Louisa struggled awake and blearily watched the scene taking place. "Buddy? Come here. Come!"

For the first time, he ignored her commands. Instead, he ran to Martin and pulled on his pants leg.

"I said go away!" Martin, mindful of the sleeping baby, whispered furiously.

His little tormentor let go of his pajama pants and ran to the door while barking loudly.

The penny dropped and he exclaimed, "Something's wrong." and, with Buddy leading the way, ran to James Henry's room, Louisa right behind them.

James woke up at that moment and vomited before starting to cry. Martin checked his forehead and exclaimed, "He's running a fever. I'll get my bag while you strip him."

A minute later, he was back with his thermometer. "Thirty-nine point five. We should put him in cool water to lower his temperature. I'll prepare it and get his paracetamol."

James whimpered and rubbed his eyes as if he had a headache. She finished removing his soiled pajamas and carried him to the lavatory. "It's ok, baby. Daddy knows what to do."

Martin placed him in the tub and gently splashed the tepid water over the hot little body. Louisa inserted the dropper in his mouth to administer the medicine. After a few minutes, he lifted the now much cooler baby out of the water and laid him in the soft towel that Louisa had ready.

"He feels a lot cooler. What do you think caused this? Mel didn't mention any thing wrong at the nursery, did she?" Asked Louisa.

Martin checked his temperature again, and replied, "Thirty-eight. Much better. No, she didn't say anything to me. It's hard to know for sure but doesn't seem to be serious. You have a hectic day tomorrow so I'll stay up with him for a while. Luckily, I don't start work at the hospital for another week. Try and go back to sleep and I'll wake you if he's sick again."

"I'll change his sheets first." She quickly cleaned the crib and kissed Martin and the baby good night. "Night, night James. Love you." She stopped on the way out of the room to pick Buddy up for a grateful snuggle, telling him, "Good boy." Buddy had watched every move they made and lay down in front of Martin when he sat down in the nursery rocker.

James rested against his father's warm, solid chest and yawned sleepily before noticing Buddy in front of them. He leaned across Martin's arm reaching for him and saying, "Budgey, tum."

Buddy looked at Martin with bright, intelligent eyes waiting for permission before moving. He patted his leg and said, "Come." The dog jumped up and snuggled on Martin's other side and laid his head on the baby's lap. James leaned forward to hug him and nuzzled his face in the soft fur of the little dog's neck.

Martin held them both till the baby drifted back to sleep then stood next to his crib, watching him for several minutes. He felt so much love for this precious little boy! He wasn't the only one watching the baby– Buddy sat next to him, eyes on the bed, alert for mishaps.

Martin looked at the dog and remembered the one Auntie Joan and Uncle Phil got for him as the prize at the end of a treasure hunt when he stayed with them over the Christmas holidays. They were best friends, too. He named him Muttonhead and it followed him step for step just like this little dog did with James. When his father saw them together, he punished him severely for daring to touch a filthy dog. "When and why did I start hating dogs? I know my parents wouldn't tolerate pets of any kind so maybe I got it from them." He thought. "But I swore that I'd never be like them and James wouldn't be like me. I'll do anything to make sure he has a happy childhood and, if a dog is a part of it, then so be it." Aloud, he told the dog, "You've earned your place in this house. Well done." He walked quietly down the stairs and returned with Buddy's bed. "We'll get you another one tomorrow for downstairs." And leaned down to pet an ecstatic little dog. "Good night, Buddy and sleep well."

But he did scrub his hands thoroughly before going back to bed.


End file.
